The left-turn part of the indicator switch started giving problems recently - it would not switch on. I decided to investigate, and ended up cleaning the switch with contact cleaner. It is now back to the expected behaviour.

verry trustworthy bike if thats the extent of our technical problems

Hello,

here are my my gas calculations : best score : 230 km with 11.7 liters->19.65 km/l. Usually : 200 km with 12.5 liters->16km/l. My KLE is the 2005 model. I think you should try and compare with other dual sport rather than road or sport bikes. When riding fast, you move much more air !

regards,

Michel

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KLE rules !

So I take it you recon my consumption (the KLE's) is normal

Yep Same here. My manual actually says that only one works at a time. If you want both to work then hold down the paas switch

Yep mine has too. Got mine a month back. Somebody co-incidently said this weekend that he had a 2006 and the engin colour was differant. Maybe all the 2007's are black.

Hi Again
Going back to this vibrations problems I must say that after replacing the worn tires and the leaking shock absorber, the vibrations are gone and the bike seems to be another one. Apart from the absorber, which now makes the bike much more confortable (just as it is suppose to be), I installed a pair of knobby Michelin T63s tires. After the first bad impression (the bike is very unprecise with them on tarmac, as with any tire with that size of knobs) I had the oportunity to try them in a on/off-road trip to my bornplace in the southwest of Spain. I went with two friends (Suzi V-Strom 650 and KTM 640 Adv) through back roads, and we tried some of the tracks and pistes I usually rode through on my Mountain Bike when I was a kid. It was an amazing feeling doing 80 km/h in those pistes, and a good test ride for the KLE. In that route, and not going very fast, I had nothing to envy to the KTM ( which even finished with electrical problems, such as the temp. indicator and lights broken...) After that, which is the harder kind of route I pretend to use the KLE for, it showed to behave really well for its age ('95 model) and weight. I will attach photos of the route soon.

Keep those twin cylinders running!!

Cheers

Jules

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Jules
Now Kawa KLE500 dirty-knobby tires, noisy Thunder exhaust.
Waiting for the new 2008 Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré

Hello, here there are some photos of the route over pistes in Extremadura, in the South West of Spain. Note that the name of the region, Extremadura, means Extremely Hard in Spanish
The one in which I appears in a watercourse near the track was taken after the one with the V-Strom crashed slipping the rear wheel into it. At last, the only damage was incredibly a small dent on the exhaust cover...what a luck!!
Cheers

Jules

Attached Images

  

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Jules
Now Kawa KLE500 dirty-knobby tires, noisy Thunder exhaust.
Waiting for the new 2008 Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré

Interesting pics Jules!

Even taking into account that the KTM is on its centre stand, your pics show well enough the differences in the ground clearance of all 3 bikes.

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Dave

ha, ha, ha, Tell that to the ktm owner, who is barely 1,65 m tall. He is improving his "classic ballet" style standing on one toe on every red light he stops at.
Apart from that, the ktm was more reliable on ground clearance terms...but a bit tricky with electrics, at least on that trip (which was the first one for him, who bought it second-hand recently, having 2 years and 20.000 km) I hope that it will show better reliability after repairing the temperature indicator and the lights (front and rear)...which refused to turn on after the off road section...What will be impossible to avoid is the strong VIBRATION. With that big cylinder and no balancing shaft is like those beds at motels you insert a coin and give you some minutes of "relax"...I´m amazed that he still has all his teeth on.

Attached Images

 

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Jules
Now Kawa KLE500 dirty-knobby tires, noisy Thunder exhaust.
Waiting for the new 2008 Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré

Hi,

Nice pics and nice KLE . I don't want to look bossy in your eyes but for pics is already a topic here http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...e-pics-25296-2

To be on topic: Yes KLE has a lower ground clearance than KTM's I was with a friend who has an LC4 and I hit some rocks while he hadn't but that's the shield for, and anyway KLE has more ground clearance than other dual sport's (bi or mono cylinder) for example is higher than BMW F650, Transalp, Dominator, Africa Twin.

Now to be on topic tips and tricks, I have a question. Is there somebody who tried to tighten the drive chain (transmission chain)? I think that it became loose and it's kicking ... I ride with this problem for 3000 km but I think is better to tighten that chain. I saw that it has a screw on engine block but dis someone actually done that?

Thanks,

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Hi Kamuya
Thanks for the link. I have seen yours there. Really nice with the high mudguard. Did you buy it ready to install? or did you make it by yourself?
Don`t you have problems with the temperature? The mudguard seems to cover a big section of the radiator.
Going to your question, adjusting the drivechain is easy, the only thing you have to to is put the bike on a stand to free the rear wheel. Then take the security clip out, loose the axle nut of the wheel and with the nuts you find at the back of the swingarm you can change the tension of the chain, having as the reference the lines you have on sides of the swingarm. The chain slack should be 35-45 mm. If it still sounds the problem is that the chain-sprocket kit is worn out and you should replace it. It starts sounding only when you apply throttle, but if the chain is really worn out is sounds even when you apply the clutch a a certain speed and go on idle (try that).
I hope this can help. If you need further detais try to look for the manual (there is a link for one in pdf here in this forum, I can´t remember where)
On the other hand, I would like to install a temperature sensor on mine (here in Spain is really hot during the summer and it will be nice to have a better indication than just the overtemp light). I don't want to spend a lot of money and, just to try, I will buy a temperature sensor which is made for computer motherboards. It has a temperature range of 0-120ºC so it should be enough.
REVOLTEC
As it has two probes I will stick one on the top of the engine (strapping the wire to the spark plug wire, maybe, and the other to the radiator. I will tell you if it works. At least it shoulg give an idea of the range of temperatures the engine is working on. Do you know of anybody who has done someting similar?
I also know about stickers which give you the temperature by changing colour. They are used in motocross bikes and even in aircraft engines. The only thing is that you have to stop, get down the bike and look to the engine...
As I said, I will inform you

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Jules
Now Kawa KLE500 dirty-knobby tires, noisy Thunder exhaust.
Waiting for the new 2008 Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré

Hi,

Is not about the chain from engine to wheel is about ENGINE TRANSMISSION CHAIN (inside engine) about that transmission chain I was talking about.

@JULESKLE500: front mudguard is from a shop, is some aftermarket part for enduro/cross motorcycles. I don't have problems with heating because of it. From my experience with my KLE in summer, and this summer was very hot here (over 43C announced and arround 60C in city ) and I had problems with heating only at car lines but at a average speed my fan doesn't started. As you seen KLE has a big radiator and also a big cooler. I don't know anyone who put a temperature sensor on KLE, for me an better ideea is to put an fuel indicator.

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You're actually talking about the camshaft chain tensioner on the front of the engine?

It is (should be) automatic, you should never have to touch it. There is a reset procedure in the manual for when you remove it though. If I remember correctly it is also an item to be inspected at the 4th service?


Nicki

4th service!?!?! mine is second hand now it has over 47000 km, nothing changed ...... no kawasaki service and for other service "thanks but no thanks" i prefer to do it in my front alley.

About that chain tensioner I was talking, if it works or someone do it on their own, I don't want to make a stupid thing.

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